Spring-gun.



C. F. LEFEVER,

SPRING GUN.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 7. 1916- 1,240,987 PatntedSept. 25,1917.

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CHARLES E. LEFEVEE,

OF PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO DAISY MANUFAC- TUBING- COMPANY. OFPLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

SPRING-GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

Application filed April 7, 1916. Serial No. 89,604.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. Lnrnvnn, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Plymouth, in thecounty of Wayne and State of Michigan, have 1nvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Spring-Guns, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to guns of that type in which the projectile isdirectly propelled by a spring, and the invention comprises the novelconstruction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the gun before the tensioningof the spring;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the sprin under tension and about to berelease and Fig. 3 is a transverse section showingthe manner ofanchoring the projectile sprlng.

The specific construction shown is that of a istol, but it is obviousthat it is equally applicable to other t es of gun. As shown, A is theframe an handle of the pistol,

referably formed of a sheet-metal stampmg, and B is a false barreltelescopically engaging said frame and having formed 1ntegral therewitha trigger section. Within the barrel B is the true. barrel D, which ismounted for movement therewith and with the trigger section C. E is asprmg within the true barrel, which projects beyond the rearward endthereof and is anchored to the frame. As shown, said spring E is sleevedupon a ide-rod F which extends into the barrel and which is notched atits rear end at G to engage the complementary halves of the sheet-metalframe to be anchored thereto. This guide is also notched at H foranchoring engagement with the end of the spring E. I is a detent or searmounted on the trigger section C and engaging the spring E near theforward end thereof, the arrangement being that when the trigger seetion.is pulled rearward to produce the telescopic movement of the barrel Bthe forward end of the spring E will be carried backward while the rearend remains stationary upon the frame A, so that the spring is placedunder tension.

The projectile directly engages the forward end of the spring and ispropelled by the recoil of said sprin upon the release of the detent orsear I. t is, however, necessary to maintain the projectile in contactwith the spring until the latter is released and to this end I haveprovided a second detent or retainer J, which is released simultaneouslywith the release of the sear I. As shown, the detents I and J are bothformed upon a lever K pivoted at L and extending rearward in the spacebetween the parallel sides of the trigger section. This lever isyieldably pressed upward to project the detents I and J into the barrelD by a sprin M engaging a pintle N on the lever abutting against theflange O of the trigger section. The rear end of the lever K is cammedat P and is adapted in the rearward movement of the telescopic barreland trigger section to strike against a cross-pin Q, which at thecompletion of the rearward movement deflects the lever downward so as torelease the detents I and J. This permits the spring E to recoil and toeject the projectile from the barrel.

I preferably provide the gun with a magazine for the shot or projectileswhich is adapted to automatically feed the same successively into thefiring barrel. As shown, this magazine is formed by a trough-shapedmember R above the barrel D having an aperture S at its rear end openinginto the barrel D and loading aperture T preferably slightly in advanceof the aperture S. The aperture T is normally closed by the portion ofthe frame A with which the barrel D is telescoped, but when the triggeris drawn rearward this aperture T comes into registration with anaperture IT in the frame so as to permit of loading. Thus to load the unthe operator draws back the trigger, fifis the trough R with the shot,and upon the forward movement of the trigger and false barrel theloading aperture is closed so as to prevent loss of the shot.

The spring E is employed solely for the propulsion of the projectile andas it is released by the sear when the trigger and false barrel are inrearward position it cannot operate to return these parts to normalposition. I have therefore provided a second spring V which ispreferably sleeved about the barrel D and spring E, its rear end bearingagainst the frame and its forward end bearing against an abutment W inthe false barrel B. This spring will be placed under'compression by therearward movement of the barrel B, and upon the release of the triggerwill carry the same and the barrel B forward to normal position.

With my improved construction the bullet or rojectile being directlyseated on the endof the propelling spring dispenses with the necessityof a piston and other cooperating parts which are usually employed. Thisnot only simplifies and cheapens the construction but cuts outfrictional loss and increases the force with which the projectile ispropelled.

What I claim as my invention is 1'. In a spring gun the combination witha barrel, of a spring therein having its forward end forming a seat forthe projectile, a detent or sear for engaging said spring adjacent tosaid seat, means for compressing the spring while engaged by said detentor scar, and means for releasing the sear.

2. In a gun, the combination with a barrel, of a spring therein havingits forward end forming a seat for the projectile, a detent or sear forengaging said spring adjacent to said seat, a second detent for engagingthe projectile to retain the same seated upon said spring, means forcompressing said spring while retained by said scar, and means forsimultaneously releasing said sear and pro jectile-retaining detent.

8. In a gun, the combination with a telescopic barrel having a true orfiring barrel in the forward section thereof, of a spring in said truebarrel having its rear end projecting and anchored in the rear sectionof the telescopic barrel, a sear mounted on the forward section forengaging the forward end of said spring, and means for automaticallydisengaging said sear at the completion of the rearward telescopicmovement.

4. In a gun, telescopically engaged, sections, at true barrel mounted onthe forward section, a spring engaging said true barrel forming a seatfor the projectile at its forward end, the rear end of said springprojecting from said barrel and anchored to the rear telescopic member,a sear mounted on the forward telescopic member engaging the forward endof said spring, a trigger for telescopically collapsing said sections totension said spring, and means for tripping said sear at the completionof said telescopic collapsing movement.

5. In a gun, the combination with two telescopically-engaged members,one constituting the frame and handle and the other the barrel andtrigger section, of a true barrel carried by said false barrel andtrigger section, a spring engaging said true barrel forming at itsforward end a seat for the projectile, its rear end projecting from saidtrue barrel and anchored to said frame, a sear mounted on said falsebarrel and trigger section, and engaging the forward end of said spring,and means for tripping said sear upon the completion of the rearwardmovement of said trigger section to release said spring.

6. In a gun, the combination with telescopically-engaged members, of atrue barrel carried by the forward member, a spring engaging said truebarrel forming at its forward end a seat for the projectile-and its rearend portion projecting beyond said true barrel, a guide for the rearwardprojecting portion of said spring extending into said true barrel, therear end of said spring being attached to said guide and the latterbeing anchored in the rear telescopic member, a sear mounted on theforward telescopic member engaging the forward end of said spring, and atrip'on said rear member for engaging said sear at the completion of therearward movement to release said spring.

7. In a gun, the combination with telescopically-engaged members, oneconstituting a frame and handle and the other a false barrel and triggersection, of a true barrel mounted in said false barrel and triggersection, a spring in said true barrel having its rear end anchored tosaid frame, a sear mounted on said trigger section for engaging theforward end of said spring, a trip for releasing said sear at thecompletion of the rearward movement, and a second spring for extendingsaid telescopically-engaged members.

8. In a gun, the combination with a frame, of a false barrel and triggersec tion telescopicallyengaging said frame, a true barrel carried bysaid false barrel, a spring in said true barrel projecting rearwardtherefrom, and a guide for said spring anchored to said frame andextending within the spring into said true barrel, said guide having anotch therein for anchoring attachment of the rear end of said springthereto.

9. In a gun, the combination with a frame member, of a false barrel andtrigger meniber telescopically engaging the same, a true barrel carriedby said false barrel, a spring in said true barrel extending rearwardtherefrom, a guide anchored to said frame extending within said springinto said true barrel and having an anchoring attachment to the rear endof said spring, and a spring surrounding said first-mentioned spring andtrue barrel having its opposite ends abutting respectively against saidframe and false barrel.

10. In a gun, the combination with a frame member and a false barrel andtrigger section telescopically engaging the same, of a true barrelcarried by said false barrel, a spring in said true barrel extendingrearward therefrom and anchored to said frame, 130 I a second springsurrounding said first spring and true barrel and abutting at itsopposite ends against said frame and false barrel, a sear carried bysaid trigger section engaging the forward end of said first-mentionedspring, and a trip for disengaging said sear on the rearward movement ofsaid trigger section and false barrel.

11. In a gun, the combination with telescopically engaged members, of atrue barrel carried by the forward member, a magazine above said truebarrel having an aperture at its rear end opening therein and a loadaperture normally closed by said telescopic member, said telescopicmember having a cooperating aperture for registration with said loadingaperture when said members are telescopically collapsed.

12. In a. gun, the combination with a frame member, of a false barreland trigger member telescopically engaging the same, a true barrel insaid false barrel, a magazine adjacent to said true barrel having anaperture communicating therewith and a loading aperture normally sealedby said frame, said frame beingprovided with a cooperating apertureadapted for registration with said loading aperture upon the rearwardmovement of said false barrel.

13. The combination with a frame, of a false barrel and trigger sectiontelescopically engaging the same, a true barrel carried by said falsebarrel, a spring in said false barrel forming at its forward end a seatfor the projectile, the rear end of said spring projecting and anchoredto said frame, a sear for engaging the forward end of said spring, adetent for retaining the projectile seated against said spring, a levercarrying said sear and detent mounted in said trigger section, and atrip on said frame for deflecting said lever to release said sear anddetent.

14. In a gun, the combination with a frame and handle member, of a falsebarrel and trigger member telescopically engaging members, and means forautomatically releasing said compressing means upon the nearing of thecompletion of the collapsing movement.

15. In a gun, the combination with a barrel, of a spring thereinhavingits forward end forming a seat for the projectile, a detent or sean formaintaining the projectile in engagement with its seat, means forcompressing said spring, while said detent or sear is maintaining theprojectile in engagement with its seat, and means for releasing saiddetent or sear, near the end of the spring compressing operation.

16. In a gun, the combination with a frame and handle member, of a falsebarrel and trigger member telescopically engaging the same, a truebarrel mounted in said false barrel and trigger member, a spring in saidtrue barrel and anchored to said frame and handle member, a sear forholding the prO- jectile in contact with said spring, and a trip forreleasing said sear at the completion of the collapsing movement of saidcollapsible members.

17. In a gun, the combination with a frame and handle member, of abarrel and trigger member telescopically engaging the same, a spring insaid barrel and anchored to said frame and handle member, means forcompressing said spring upon the collapsing movement of said members,and means for automatically releasing said compressing means upon thenearing of the completion of the collapsing movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- CHARLES F. LEFEVER.

Vitnesses:

W. B. LOMBARD, E. C. HOUGH.

